While measles symptoms typically resolve in a few weeks, the virus can cause pneumonia, making it difficult for patients, especially children, to get oxygen into their lungs. It may also lead to brain swelling, which can cause lasting damage, including blindness, deafness and intellectual disabilities.

U.S. measles cases hit 1,277—the worst outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, surpassing 2019's peak.

The measles outbreak that started in West Texas has now spread to nearly every US state and infected 1,288 people, according to NPR. That's the largest number of measles cases sin